Hisses, Breaths & Gasps
by Dawn-Of-Indescribable-Colors
Summary: Draco finds a boy alone, singing in the courtyard at night. ENTRY FOR THE HARRY POTTER POTIONS COMPETITION, ELIXIR TO INDUCE EUPHORIA. ONE-SHOT. WARNING: BOYS' LOVE / SLASH.


**Here is my entry for the Harry Potter Potions Competition. This one is for the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. Prompt: ****Write about someone singing, or write a song. Hope you enjoy :)**

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_**~ Hisses, Breaths & Gasps ~**_

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He'd grown accustomed to his midnight walks...or rather, grown accustomed to the insomnia each night brought. Ever since the war, it had been nearly impossible to find sleep. And now, especially...

Draco had been more than reluctant to return for an eighth year. So many nightmares were buried within the castle's walls. Pray, how was he expected to sleep when Dumbledore's ghost plagued the grounds?

McGonagall had suggested a sleeping drought, but he'd denied it.

These nights alone had become a refuge. An escape. A silence.

"_Lumos," _he whispered, refreshing the light at the tip of his wand. Its pale blue glow fanned out across the hallway. His thoughts had run away with him, and now he wasn't quite sure where he'd wandered off to.

A high, bridge-like balcony stretched out before him, open windows lining its walls, and from it he could clearly see down into the courtyard. A gentle breeze tossed crumpled leaves through the air, shaking the winter's dead trees.

And just barely, illuminated by the clear moonlight, Draco could see a figure.

He was seated on one of the stone benches, leaning forward, his elbows rested on his knees, and staring at the motionless fountain.

Draco's brow furrowed.

He'd paced the courtyard before during these nights. It had always been empty.

And not only was it occupied now, but filled with the most peculiar sound. A quiet, melodious tune, drifting up toward him from the dark figure.

Singing.

Curiosity piqued, Draco turned on his heel, hoping to reach the courtyard before the figure vanished. He'd expected to feel hostile about it-someone breaching his solitude-but was surprised to find that instead, he felt rather intrigued.

"_Nox," _he muttered, out of breath as he sprinted down the grand staircase and into the Great Hall, bathed in darkness.

He didn't want to startle the stranger. Perhaps, he didn't want to be noticed at all.

He merely wanted to _see..._

Filch was adamant about locking the main doors, especially after their third year, but nearly every student-unless of course, one was a Hufflepuff-knew of the other way out.

Simply enough, behind a particular suit of armor beside the doors, there was a small crevice. And in that crevice, there was a window.

Silent as a ghost, Draco slid himself through the window, landing deftly upon the chilled ground of the courtyard. For a moment, he remained in a careful crouch, eyes seeking the figure on the bench.

And there he remained, unaware of anything but the fountain in front of him.

He was still singing.

But now, Draco was close enough to really _hear _it. Whereas, before it had only been a faint trill, the full magnitude of its sound could truly strike him from this new vantage point.

And it was _beautiful. _

No-no, beautiful was too plain a word. Breathtaking? Still not enough. Was there a word? Was there anything to describe such a sound?

No. No, Draco decided that there wasn't.

The tune cut through the air like a knife, rendering all other noise to dust, and yet the tone of it was so very gentle. Like rain...

Like rain slipping off a rooftop and falling to the ground below.

He couldn't help it.

He moved closer.

Shielding himself behind a tall, marble statue, Draco titled his head around to see, eyes wide with wonder. Only then did he notice...

Parseltongue.

The boy was singing in _Parseltongue. _

Was that even remotely possible?

Apparently so.

Merlin's beard...it was entrancing. The whispered notes licked off the boy's tongue with ease-hisses and breaths and gasps. How did they carry a tune? How _could_ they?

And, perhaps more importantly, who was this?

It couldn't possibly be anyone outside of Slytherin house. Unless it was Potter, which was highly unlikely. The frame was wrong for Potter. Too tall. Too long.

Who _was_ this?

Oh, it would drive Draco mad.

The figure suddenly hit a striking note-high above all the others-and Draco's hand slipped off the statue in shock, knocking loudly against its stone sword.

The boy whipped around.

Cursing under his breath, Draco came out of hiding...and his stomach dropped.

No...

_No...no..._

Impossible.

No, it couldn't be.

Not-

"Theo..." he heard himself whisper. His voice was a croak-a loud, jarring disturbance compared to the gorgeous sounds of a moment ago. Or at least, it felt that way.

Theo shot to his feet, turning fully to face him and wringing his hands together. His face was a bright red.

He was blushing.

"Theo," Draco said again, as if confirming it. "What were you-"

"I should go," he murmured, starting quickly toward the hidden window, his eyes downcast.

"Wait!" Draco managed, and before he knew it, he'd latched onto to Theo's arm, jerking him to a halt.

Solemn, sea green eyes met his, and the look within them stunned Draco to silence.

"Please," Theo whispered. "Spare me your cruel words."

Draco felt his throat constrict. "My-_what? _Cruel? I would never-"

"I will hear them come morning from the rest of the House, I'm sure. I need not hear them from you." He tried to pull away, but Draco's grip tightened.

"Theo..."

"Let me go."

"Theo, I will tell _no one," _Draco blurted, incredulity spreading across his face.

There was a long moment of silence, and their eyes connected again.

"I swear, I won't," he whispered.

Something happened to Theo's expression then. Something strange. His thin, handsome face flickered with confusion...and then uncertainty. His throat contracted with each heavy swallow, and his eyes flicked up and down over Draco.

He could see every breath Theo took...could see his chest rise and fall with each inhale, almost as if he was panting.

And by the time Draco realized how close they were, it was already too late.

Theo swept forward with a sharp breath and captured Draco's lips.

_No._

_No._

_No._

But that made no sense at all.

Draco barely had a second to consider it, and then Theo pulled away. "What about that?" he whispered, cheeks scarlet. "Will you tell them about that?"

Draco struggled for words. "N-No...no..."

There was an unwelcome fluttering in his stomach, bubbling up into his chest. A strange, unknown feeling welling up inside of him.

And his lips were still tingling.

Theo drew a slow breath, gaze burning into Draco, and said softly, "Thank you." A moment later, he unexpectedly ghosted his mouth over his again, allowing his tongue to slip out and wet Draco's lips.

Then he pulled away once more, eyes still closed, oblivious to Draco's shocked stare. His hot, sweet breath laved over Draco's face, sending shivers down his spine as Theo's hand came to rest on his chest.

"Thank you," he repeated, nuzzling Draco's nose with his own just once. "Thank you."

And then he was gone.

Draco fell to his knees.

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**:) **


End file.
